Method and apparatus for removing rails from railroad tracks



April 15,1930. wQQDB URY ET AL 1,754,662: I

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING RAILS FROM RAILROAD TRACKS Filed Jan. 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l n {In}:

April 15, 1930. WOODBURY ET AL 1,754,662

METHOD ANb APPARATUS FOR REMOVING RAILS FROM RAILROAD TRACKS Filed Jan. 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS VJ 77 1 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 19:36}

UNl't'El STATES PATENT OFFICE RAY WOODB'URY AND RAY L. MARTIN, 013 LEORTLAND, OREGON", AND GEORGE E. DOANE, 31%., (113 SUMEE'YIT, NEW JERSEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR R'EMGJL'NG RAILS FROM RAILROAD TRACKS Application filed January 29, 1929.

This invention has to do with a method and apparatus for removing and loading rails of abandoned railroad lines. Throughout the country there are and will be a multitude of abandoned railroad lines. These railroads may be short spur track roads, industrial roads such as logging and mining, that have served their purpose, interurban roads that are unable to meet motor truck and coach competition, or roads abandoned for other reasons. V/hatever maybe the nature of the road, or the reason of its abandonment is of no concern here, as this invention is dependent upon the effect rather than the cause, and

= constitutes an expeditious and inexpensive method, with its necessary apparatus, for removing or salvaging the rails forming the tracks of any such railroad line.

In many instances it has been found impractical to profitably remove the rails from such roads, and they have been left on their rotting ties, a rusting monument of some probably forlorn hope. This invention has a particular object in view of providing a profitable and expeditious method of removing such rails. It contemplates the use of certain railway vehicles or cars and apparatus hereinafter described, which move with but brief periods of pause, over the road, and as they proceed therails over which the cars have just passed are picked up one after another, during such period of pause, and loaded in a group upon one of the cars While such cars are in motion. During the brief period of pause a num er of rails that are in a condition to be loaded are, one after another, commencing with the rail farthest from the loading car, attached to a moving cable or similar instrumentality, and are drawn up a loading apron and onto a car which is to carry them.

The apron, an inclined runway, having a portion extending downwardly bete eon the rails, is attached to a car nearest the rails to be loaded. When the rails have been drawn well up the apron and prtially upon the car to a position where they are free of the ties, the cars are moved forward a sufficient distance to permit loading another group of rails. During the forward move- Serial N0. 335,900.

ment of the cars, the rails are deposited upon the car that is to carry them and then unhooked from the cable. The cable is pulled back when the cars have stopped, and the operation is repeated with the next group of rails to be loaded. This is practically a continuous operation, the periods of pause are brief, and the speed attained makes this method particularly adaptable for removing rails from roads of considerable length.

In disclosing this invention it is necessary to particularly illustrate certain novel elements which lend themselves particularly thereto. Gther elements will be illustrated both in diagram and in detail to aid in a proper understanding of the method hereinafter disclosed. These illustrations are had in the drawings herein, wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a work train utilized in carrying out this invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevated view looking down upon a railroad track and illust ates certain steps in the hereinafter disclosed method;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the loading apron. It also illustrates a further step of the hereinafter disclosed method;

Fig. l is a cross section of the apron taken on the line as of Figure 2, looking in the direction the arrows point;

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the loading apron looking from the line 55 of Figure 4 in the direction the arrows point;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an element entering into the construction of the loading apron;

Fig. T is a fragmentary view, partially in section, of elements entering into the construction of the pony truck carrying the apron; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the loading cable and shows how the rails are attached to such cable.

In the drawings, certain features are identified by numerals, which are the same in whatever of the views it is deemed desirable that they be identified. This is to afford a proper understanding of the description which follows.

In order to comprehensively explain this invention it is necessary to consider it as being used to remove the rails of an existing road. This road, of course, must be of sufii cient length to justify the use of the apparatus hereinafter described. Two linesot rails resting upon ties comprise such road,

and they are laid, as is well. known in railroad construction, with the ends of the individual rails of one line opposite the midportion of the rails of the other line. Portions of such a railroad, are indicated in the drawings by the numeral 1, and are composed of the two lines of rails A and B resting on the ties C. It may be presumed that the removal of the rails will. start at one end of the line and work toward the other end. Such being the case, preceding the removal of the rails, the spikes holding the inside flanges of the rails are removed. All but a very few of the spikes holding the outside flanges are removed. The nuts are taken as the bolts extending through the ends of the rails and fish plates. On a straight stretch of track, all but one or two of the bolts are knocked out. This allows the forward ends of the rails to be readily drawn to the center of the track and free of the outside spikes. However, while the rails are still in place the outside spikes will prevent them from spreading, thereby allowing a work train to proceed thereover. On curves a few spikes are left holding the insides of the rails, though they are prepared to be easily drawn, and one or two loosened nuts are left on the bolts through the fish plates and rail ends. The inside spikes and the nuts can be removed in a moment or two.

To travel along the track. and pick up and remove the rails after they have been prepared as above outlined, there is provided a work train such as is illustrated in Figure 1. Such a train is composed of a locomotive 2, a work car 3, one or more flat cars l for loading rails and a loading apron 5. The work car 3 is provided with a derrick or trestle 6 carrying a block '7 or similar element for cable 8 to pass over. One end of the cable 8 carries a ring 9 and the other end is wrapped about the winding drum 10. The drum 10 is not shown in detail, but it may be con sidered as power driven and of the usual design. The apron 5 is an inclined runway or bed, the front end of which is fastened to the top of the rear end of the last flat car l, and the rear end of which rests upon the ties C. Normally the rear end of the apron drags upon the ties as the train moves forward. A more complete description of the apron 5 will be given hereafter.

Assuming that all is in readiness for removing the rails, the work train moves for ward several rails length and stops. The number of rails length depends to a great extent upon the weight of the rails. In the case of seventy pound rails, it would be at least three rails length, lighter rails more. Also the power equipment for running the winch or drum 10 is a controlling factor. However assuming that the train has proceeded three rails length, that would provide for six rails to be loaded, three on each side of the track. rails are pulled toward the center of the track, as shown by rails A" and B in Figure 2, thus clearing them of the rear ends of the rails ahead.

The cable 8 is unwound from the drum 10 and pulled to the rear until the ring 9 thereof is sufiiciently near the rail farthest removed from the apron 5, to allow a short cable or chain 11, which is provided with hooks 12 at each end, to be connected between the ring and the rail. This is done by hooking one hook 12 of the chain 11 into the ring 9 and the other hook into one of the usual bolt holes 13 provided in the ends of the rails. The cable 8 is then wound upon the drum 10, thus pulling or dragging the first rail toward the apron 5 and a loading car 4. As the moving ring 9 approaches the "forward end of the next rail, that rail is attached to the moving cable as was the first rail, that is b means of the chain 11. Thereafter all of the remaining rails, one after another, are connected to the moving cable and drawn toward and up the apron 5 in a body or group, as indicated in Figure 3 by the numeral 14, and in the diagrammatic view 1 by the numeral 15. After the rails have been pulled up the apron 5 sufficiently to allow the pull of the cable 8 to raise tl e rear ends thereof, as shown in Figure 1, the train is moved forward a suflicient distance to permit another group of rails to be loaded. lVhile the train is in motion. the rails that have just been drawn up the apron are dragged onto the car that is to carry them. The chains 11 are detached from the ring 9 and the rails, and the train having at this time stopped, the cable is pulled back to the most remote rail, whereupon the operation just described is repeated.

A graphic aid to understanding the operation just described may be had on reference to Figure 2. This view shows the rails A, A and B being drawn by the cable b, and

the rail B just attached to the cable by means of a chain 11, the chain momentarily being slack. Rails A and B are ready to be at ached to the ring 9 by means of their res 'iective chains 11, which will be done the ring passes near the forward end of these rails. Though not shown in this view as being such.

the rail A was the first rail attached to the The forward ends of each of the deposited upon the car that is to carry them, the train has moved forward a sufficient dis-- tance to permit another group of rails to be loaded. In other words, as soon as the cable has pulled in and deposited a group of rails upon a car, it is pulled back and the operation is repeated. It is this continuous operation that lends this invention particularly to the removal of rails of roads of considerable mileage.

The apparatus utilized in the foregoing description is susceptible of some modification without departing from the invention. A chain might be substituted for the cable 8, cables instead of chains for the members 11, and various power means for drawing in the cable 8. No constructional detail has been given to the'hooks 12, but the mouths of these hooks should be sufficiently broad to permit .2 them to be quickly unhooked or removed. from the bolt holes 13.

The apron 5 p0 sses a number of features that make it particularly desirable for this invention and it will now be described in detail. It consists of an inclined bed 16 of substantially the same width as a Hat car. This bed may be constructed of heavy planks. To the undersideof the bed are secured a number of cross braces 17 to strengthen it. To prevent the ends of rails from digging in the upper side of the bed is preferably covered with a metal cover or plating- 18 which is bent around the rear end and extends forward on the under side ashort distance, as indicated by the numeral 19. Underneath the forward end and secured thereto is a transverse beam 20. The beam 20 is braced by means of the angular brackets each of which has two oppositely bent end portions and respectively, and a bed portion The bed portion has a spur as shown in Figure 6, which is normally directed down ward as shown in Figure 5. brackets 21 are provided with apertures a6. T he brackets have the beam restir upon the bed portion 24, the spurs 25 being directed downward, the ends 23 rest against the bottom of the bed 16 and are secured thereto by lugscrews 28 passed through a 'iertures :26. The end portions 22 restagainst the outersioe of the beam 20 and are secured thereto rivets 29 and bolts 2? passed through apertures 2G. The bolts 27 are used in the brackets located at each end of the beam and are eye bolts to the eyes of which are secured one end of a chain 30. The unsecured ent of each chain 30 is provided with a hook 311. On the top of the beam 20 is a roll 39. provided with a shaft 33, the end portions of which are inserted in the bearings 34. The bearings 34 are secured to the beam 20. The roll 32 projects but slightly above the upper surface of the apron 5. The rear end of the apron 5 has two out out portions which receive the rails A and B. This allows the Both ends of the lower end 36 of the apron tofall between the ties as shown in Figure 3. As the apron is moved forward the end 36' will bump over the ties, but if the speed is not too great, that will do no harm.

Means are provided for carrying the apron independently of the flat car a, which in clude a pony truck and mechanism for raising and lowering the front end of the apron to accommodate it to various heights of cars. The pony truck 37 consists of a frame or cast ing 38 carried on wheels 39 which are flanged to permit them to ride on rails. A beam ll) is secured transversely to the underside of the bed 16, and as it extends downwardly somewhat, braces 41 are connected between it and the bed 16 to render it immo *able. Two yokes 42 are secured to the underside of the beam 4'0. These yokes are provided with apertures which are occupied by the pins 43. Pivot-ally connected to each of the pins 43 are screws 44 which extend downwardly through enlarged conical apertures in the top d7 of the frame 38. A collar 46 is threaded to each screw 44.. The collars rest upon the top 4-7 of the frame 38 and normally carry the apron 5 when it is not attached to a car. Threading or unthreading; the collars 46 on the screws 44- will raise or lower the apron as the case may be. The aperture 4.5 is enlarged somewhat to permit the screws 4A to move up and down and slightly rock. as the rear end of the apron is dragged over the ties. Two lugs 48 extend upwardly from the top of the frame 38 each of which carries a pin 50. Between pins 43 and pins 50 extend links 49 which are pivotally connected at their ends to the respective pins.

The rear end of the apron 5 overbalanees the front end, and in order to raise the rear end, the front end must be held stationary and the apron lifted by the screws 44 and collars 46, or the front end of the apron must be pulled down to raise the rear. The following means areprovided for pulling down the front end of the apron. This consists of a yoke 51 carrying a pin 52. To the pin 52 is pivotally connected a threaded rod 53. The frame 38 has an aperture 56 through which is passed a threaded rod 54% directed toward the rod 53. The rod 5% is provided with an enlarged cap 57 to prevent its withdrawal from the aperture 56. The rods 53 and 54 are properly threaded to receive the turnbuckle 55. Rotation or counterrotation will move the rods 53 and 5% toward or from each other, and will consequentlypull down or release the front end of the apron 5. The apparatus just described is used principally when the apron is isolated from a loading;

car.

In attaching the apron 5 to a car, the front end thereof is brought over the rear end of the car and lowered, this is done by manipulation of the collars 46 on the screws 4A. The

fan

collars may be raised so that the weight of the apron is carried by its ends, one end resting upon the car and the other on the ties. The weight of the apron will cause the spurs 25 to bite into the car floor 59. The spurs will to a great extent prevent the forward end of the apron moving on the car. However, to further aid in securing the apron to the car, the chains 30 are secured by means of their hooks 31 to stake sockets 58, or to any other suitable holding means that may be provided on the car.

From the foregoing description of the apron 5, it will be seen that this device lends itself particularly to the carrying out of the method disclosed herein. It may be readily attached or detached from the loading cars, and in every Way may be considered a necessary element, which cooperates to the utmost in carrying out the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed, is

1. Apparatus for removing rails from railroad tracks, said apparatus in conjunction with a railroad vehicle for carrying such rails, and a plurality of rails to be loaded residing at unequal distances from said Vehicle, comprising a moving cable, means for attaching such rails to said cable one after another commencing with the most remote in order that they may travel therewith, and an inclined apron up which the aforesaid rails travel to be received by said vehicle.

2. Apparatus for removing rails from railroad tracks, said apparatus, in conjunction with a railroad vehicle for carrying such rails and a plurality of rails to be loaded residing at unequal distances from said vehicle, comprising a moving cable, means for attaching such rails to said cable one after another commencing with the most remote in order that they may travel therewith, and an inclined runway having one end resting upon said vehicle and the other end resting in a position enabling said rails to travel upwardly therealong in a group to said vehicle.

3. Apparatus for removing rails from railroad tracks, said apparatus in conjunction 'ith a railroad vehicle for carrying such rails and a plurality of rails to be loaded residing at unequal distances from said vehicle, comprising a moving cable, means for attaching such rails to said cable one after another commencing with the most remote in order that they may travel therewith, an inclined runway having one end resting upon said vehicle and the other end resting in a position enabling said rails to travel upwardly there along in a group to said vehicle, and means for removably securing said runway to said vehicle.

4. Apparatus for removing rails from. railroad tracks, said apparatus in conjunction with a railroad vehicle for carrying such rails and a plurality of rails to be loaded residing at unequal distances from said vehicle, comprising means for moving such rails toward said vehicle, an inclined apron up which the aforesaid rails travel including a pony truck for supporting such apron, means for raising and lowering the apron on the pony truck, and means for detachably attaching one end of said apron to such vehicle.

5. The herein described loading apron comprising a member constituting a bed, a pony truck to travel over rails of a railroad track, supporting members extending between the underside of said bed and said pony truck, said supporting members capable of vertical movement relative to said truck, said bed normally having one end elevated and the other depressed, and means for raising the depressed end by lowering the elevated end.

6. The herein described method for removing rails from railroad tracks which comprises intermittently moving a vehicle over such track, cessation of movement of such vehicle occurring after it has traveled over a preselected number of individual rails composing such track, causing the most remote rail to move toward a region of repose on said vehicle, the remaining rails moving therewith one after another commencing with the rail next most remote, movement of such vehicle occurring while said rails are moving proximate said region of repose, and cessation of movement of such rails occurring at arrival in said region of repose.

7. The herein described method for removing rails from railroad tracks which comprises lntermittently moving a vehicle over such track, cessation of movement of such vehicle occurring after it has traveled over a preselected number of individual rails composing such track, causing the most remote rail to move toward a region of repose on said vehicle, the remaining rails moving therewith one after another commencing with the rail next most remote, and cessation of movement of such rails occurring at arrival in said region of repose.

8. The herein described method of removing rails from railroad tracks which comprises intermittently moving a vehicle over such track, cessation of movement of such vehicle occurring after it has traveled over a preselected number of individual rails eom posing such track, causing the most remote rail to move toward a region of repose on said vehicle, the remaining rails moving therewith one after another, and the movement of all such rails ceasing simultaneously upon arrival in said region of repose.

RAY WOODBURY. RAY L. MARTIN. GEORGE B. DOANE, JR. 

